Reinvented
by MiroTheCat
Summary: Severus Snape created another identity as a cover for interactions with his muggle neighbors. He didn't mean it to be more than a name on the mailbox, but the thing was... Adrian enjoyed life a lot more than Severus ever had.
1. Chapter 1

Severus loved summer. His colleagues thought it was because he could get away from the students, but the truth was that he liked living as a muggle for those few months. The vacation kept him sane. He never would have given up magic and he still kept his wand at hand, but he found the slower pace of muggle life a relief. He didn't even miss the improved healing of the magical world. He genuinely liked the excuse to take it easy for as long as it took to recover. As soon as he departed for Hogwarts he would have to fix himself up again, but with his potions he didn't suffer terribly much and didn't at all mind sticking with muggle methods for the summer.

Except for small things like a pain potion or household repairs that might have otherwise cost him absurd sums, he was all muggle all summer. He dressed the same as the other young men and altered his appearance so that people from the magical world would not recognize him. He'd long since learned how to magically reduce his nose and straighten his teeth, and the only reason he changed them back at Hogwarts was to maintain his cover at home. He had the feeling that it would come in handy, and so he performed those spells faithfully, cut his hair as soon as he got home, and cast glamors on returning to Hogwarts until his hair grew out and summer tan faded. He was unwilling to jeopardize his summers as Adrian Prince, ordinary muggle, for the world.

It quite frankly amused him when he saw some idiot colleague of his trying to find him, unaware that he was right under their nose. Many times he had told such a blunderer looking for directions that he thought there had been a Toby Snape in the neighborhood when he was a boy, but that the man had died years ago.

Some of the idiot colleagues were more persistent than others, though. He was sprawled on the couch, a cheesy monster movie in the VCR, enjoying being waited on by his girlfriend on account of having broken his leg the week before, when he heard Albus and Minerva's voices outside and then a knock on the door. Mackenzie left their popcorn and beer on the coffee table and went to answer the door with a threat of severe tickling if he started the movie without her. He could hear the conversation in the entryway.

"May I help you?" That was Mackenzie, and from her puzzled tone he guessed that they had turned up in robes.

"Yes, we're looking for Severus. Is he in?"

"I'm afraid I don't know who you're talking about."

"We're looking for Severus Snape. We were under the impression that this was his house."

"If we were wrong, please excuse us. We're sorry for having bothered you." Minerva seemed to be catching on quicker than Albus. Good for her.

"It's quite alright. I don't know any Snape, but perhaps Adrian might. We'll go check with him." A moment later the three tramped in, his visitors looking delightfully uncomfortable in their robes in such an obviously muggle house.

"Friends of yours, 'Kenzie? I thought today was just us." He gave her his best sultry pout, one that the older professors would never in a million years imagine on the face of their crabby potions master.

She blushed at his suggestive look. "No. These people are looking for a Mr. Snape. I don't know anyone by the name, but thought you might since you've lived here longer."

He shuddered. "Old Toby Snape lived on this street when I was young. Died years ago though, and good riddance to him. The man was a drunkard and scary to boot."

"The man we want is his son, I believe." Trust Albus to have recognized his father's name.

"No clue, sorry. I never knew he had a son until he died and people started saying it was the boy that killed him. I'd hope he's in jail still. Killers oughtn't be running free."

"Ah. Well then, we'll be going. You've been very helpful." They bowed out. He inwardly smirked at having given him the slip again. The nerve of them, deciding to drop by on his summer at home.

* * *

 _I got a request from thephoenixandthedragon4ever for more present(ish)-day Snape, so I picked the one fitting the bill that had the most votes on the poll. This story is pretty old; the first draft was written out on paper in high school and then I rediscovered it and typed it up at some point in college and have occasionally revisited and added to it. That said, I have a very soft spot for it. I like the idea of someone creating another identity, another life, and then discovering that they're happier as that person but oh crap now both of their identities have entire lives and people who'd notice if they disappeared._

 _I also just realized on pulling this out to post it that at the time this story picks up, he's not much older than me. Within the age group that I typically hang out with and view as my peers. I think the reason I didn't post this on whichever site I was on at the time I wrote it (quizilla?) was that I worried he was behaving too young, but no, I think high school me actually accidentally nailed it._


	2. Chapter 2

_They must really want to see me._ Adrian realized when he spotted none other than Minerva McGonagall walking around town, thankfully in muggle clothes this time, a couple of days later. He smirked inwardly. The man in the mirror was tanned with short brown hair-no dyeing needed, only sun-an unremarkable nose, straight teeth, no Dark Mark-he'd had it lasered off when the Dark Lord fell- and a cast on his leg. He was very much safe from recognition, even if she was doing stealthy scans for spells on the area. His wand was at home and he had no spells on him, nor had he used any in quite a while.

He was sitting at the edge of the skatepark, watching the aging punks and local children whiz by, when she approached him. Inwardly he groaned. What could she possibly want with him?

"I just wanted to apologize for intruding on you the other day, and thank you for your help in our search."

"Eh, no problem." He kept his eyes on the skatepark, hoping to convey disinterest. "If that hoodlum escaped from jail, I'm happy to help you catch him. Don't think he'd be dumb enough to come back here though, what with how we all know what he did. It'd be a modern-day witchhunt if anyone spied him." He peeked sideways to see her reaction. It was properly horrified. This was like shooting fish in a barrel. Too easy. And her bloody Gryffindor curiosity just made it easier.

"If you don't mind my asking, what is the story with him?"

Oh, this was good. "Well," He began thoughtfully, "It's been a long time, and there are lots of stories. I don't know the truth, because I was off at university. But most of them involve fires or explosions, sometimes poison or a gun, and the boy being there and fleeing the scene with some sort of weapon in his hand and blood all over him. Old Mrs. Evans reckons his father beat him one too many times and he snapped and attacked him with the closest thing to hand, then lit the place on fire to cover it up. That's the most charitable version I've heard." Minerva was looking equal parts thoughtful and alarmed. Adrian paused and looked at her a moment. "If you don't mind my asking, ma'am, why the interest? You don't look like a cop to me."

The tables had turned now, and he delighted in her discomfort as she tried to come up with a muggle-safe answer. "I…was his teacher when he was a child, and he has recently been offered a job at the school as he has always been strong in chemistry and we have an opening. We're having trouble getting hold of him, and I admit that I've taken some interest as he always was a favorite of mine."

Adrian whistled. "Lucky prick, being hunted down for a cushy teaching job. Chemistry you said? Well, if you can't find him, come find _me_. I'm just finishing my doctorate in chemistry and I'd _love_ to teach. I like children."

She almost squirmed before regaining her composure. "Of course. I will keep you in mind should I be unable to contact Severus." Like _hell_ she would, he knew, thinking him a muggle. Safe and free to enjoy making her feel awkward. (Ha!)

He checked his watch. Mackenzie would be getting out of work soon, so he should be going. "I'm sorry, I need to get going. Good luck with your search." He shook her hand, stood up, and hopped away.

At home that night, his girlfriend finally having left to sleep at her own place for a change, he pulled out parchment and quill and penned as innocent a note as he could think of to his employer.

 _Dear Albus,_

 _Remind me, what day did you say you wanted us back this year?_

 _Apologies if you have tried to owl me. Certain pranksters among the students have caused me to ward my house against all owls but my own, so you will have to use her if you wish to reach me._

 _Best wishes and enjoy the rest of your summer,_

 _Severus_

He handed the note to his owl and sent her off again. Time to find out why his colleagues were so desperate to find him.

A return note was sitting on his desk in the morning.

 _Dear Severus,_

 _A week prior to the beginning of term seems sufficient._

 _We have indeed been trying to reach you. We think that certain people who you have given us information on in the past may be up to something and hoped you could be of assistance. Minerva and I tried to find you at home, but apparently you no longer live in that area, let alone that address. In any case, let me know if you find out anything about those people._

 _Albus_


	3. Chapter 3

Late that August, he found himself sitting in a private compartment on a train to Hogsmeade, changing back into Severus Snape with his wand and a hand mirror. He was starting to seriously consider just staying as Adrian Prince for good. Settle down, marry Kenzie (Merlin knew, she'd marry him in a heartbeat) take a job in a laboratory or a chemist's shop, live the simple life as a muggle the rest of his days. He'd like that. He'd definitely like that better than returning to Hogwarts to teach the Potter brat and company for another year. He was 34 now for fuck's sake, wasn't that old enough to know what he wanted? He resolved that this was the last year that he would teach. After all, they'd recruited old Mad-Eye to look after the students, so they didn't need his protection anymore.

And then things went bad. The Dark Lord's return. The things it brought. Eventually he had to tell Mackenzie the truth. Not all of it. Only that he was a wizard and there was a war in the magical world and he wanted to leave the magical world but couldn't because if he just disappeared then they would come looking for him and he didn't want to put her in danger. He didn't tell her any specifics, but she understood. She withheld sex for a week for not telling her sooner, but she understood that it was a dangerous situation and he didn't want to drag her into it. It took a load off his mind to know that he wasn't alone.

* * *

The Dark Lord, the snake, and the boy were all gone when he came around. The mixture of antivenin and healing potions that he'd injected through the lining of his pocket right after the bite (bless the muggles and their auto-injector pens) had taken longer to work than he had hoped, but they _had_ worked and that was what mattered. He was alive. He healed himself as far as he dared exert himself, wrapped his neck in strips torn from his robes, and apparated into his house. He'd only had a glamor on his nose and teeth that day, anticipating the potential need for a getaway, so dropping it was all that was necessary to turn back into Adrian Prince. _Himself_. He summoned his cell phone.

"Hello?"

"Kenzie." He rasped out, "Please come now. The war is over or it will be soon. I'm hurt. Please hurry."

"Be right there, love. Everything will be okay."

"I love you."

As he waited, he wrote down locations of everything in the house that she might need and instructions. He was dizzy and taking no chances.

When he next woke with Mackenzie next to him, he knew everything would be okay. He was home with the love of his life by his side and if he had survived this far then he was out of the woods. Better yet, he realized, the magical world thought he was dead. He was finally free. The contents of his vault at Gringotts had been moved to his house several years prior, as had what possessions he'd had at Hogwarts that he cared about. He had no need to ever return there.

Mackenzie woke up and smiled sleepily at him. "You're awake, love. I told you everything would be okay."

He tugged her closer to him. "I only need one more thing for everything to be okay."

She bolted upright, concerned. "What is it? What do you need?"

"Marry me."

* * *

"He left everything to the school." The ministry wizard told the headmistress, "However, his bank account is empty and his house was sold a number of years ago, so anything he owned would likely already be in the school."

Minerva nodded numbly. She hadn't been lying when she had told the muggle man with the broken leg that she was fond of Severus. But there it was. Such sentiments were useless now. He hadn't survived the war, and even his portrait in the office was crabby and didn't care to talk to anyone. It was far less animated than the other portraits, almost as if he were still alive, but Harry had seen him die. It must be that even his portrait was secretive and antisocial.

* * *

As soon as he was recovered from the snakebite, Adrian and Mackenzie were married in a quiet civil ceremony and within a month Adrian had taken a laboratory position in a hospital doing drug research and Mackenzie was pregnant. She told him that she'd forgotten her pill, but they both knew she was lying. Adrian merely raised an eyebrow and told her in great detail how he would deal with her lying were she not carrying her child. She tried to talk him into doing it anyway, so he was forced to tickle her mercilessly until she managed to distract him. They ended up in bed again.

* * *

 _Next up: kids!_


	4. Chapter 4

The Hogwarts owl-the first in twelve years- showed up on a Tuesday morning in July. Mackenzie and Tess squealed, Alan and Martin jostled to get close to the disdainful bird sitting on their kitchen table, and Adrian calmly took the letter from it, checked the address, and handed it to Alan.

"Well Alan, it looks as if you're a wizard."

Alan scoffed at that. "Real funny, Dad. I know better than to fall for your jokes anymore." He was a cool and logical boy who had inherited his father's aptitude for potions, although he didn't yet know it. Magic seemed utterly absurd to his scientific brain.

Adrian sighed. "Well gang, I think we need to have a family meeting. There are some things that we haven't discussed yet." The children straightened up warily as they wondered what misdemeanor their father had uncovered this time. He was uncannily good at that. "Magic is real." Alan snorted. "Perhaps you'd like a demonstration." With a flick of his wand, hastily retrieved from its hiding place atop a pictureframe, two forks began to waltz across the tabletop. He rounded on Alan. "Is that proof enough for you? No? How would you like to have pink hair?" Alan's siblings roared with laughter when his hair changed color. "As you can see, magic is real, and I am a wizard."

"Can Mum do magic too?" Tess asked eagerly.

"I'm afraid not, sweetie." Mackenzie told her daughter, "I'm what the magical world calls a muggle. That means that neither I nor any of my parents or grandparents have magic. But magic is a dominant trait, so it only takes one magical parent for a child to be able to do magic. You three all can do magic because Dad can do magic."

"We didn't want to tell you before, because we live with muggles and most muggles don't know that magic exists. We were afraid that if we told you too early you might be too young to understand that it had to be kept a secret from your friends."

"But what does that have to do with my letter?" Alan ventured, "And would you please change my hair back?"

Adrian flicked his wand and changed his elder son's hair back to dark brown. "The letter is from a boarding school for magic, informing you that term begins September first and giving you your list of school supplies that you'll need."

"How'd you do that? Know what's in it already?" Martin climbed into his lap, "Can you see through envelopes?"

"No, but I can read minds." He told the child. "I know what it says because term at Hogwarts has always begun on September first, and the letters always include a list of supplies. Some things will never change."

"Did you go to school there?"

"I did, as a matter of fact."

"Did you like it?"

"Some parts I did, some parts I didn't. No school is all fun all the time."

* * *

Returning to Diagon Alley for the first time since his "death" was a strange and nerve-wracking experience for Adrian. His former students were all over the place with their own children. It took a conscious effort not to slip into old habits.

In Madam Malkin's, they ran into none other than Harry Potter and his son, who was being fitted for his school robes as well. He and Miss Weasley had clearly wasted no time to already have a child starting school.

Potter's son was chatting a mile a minute as he was fitted for his robes, and Adrian almost felt bad for his former student. Judging by his expression, the boy had been at it for hours now and pretty well worn him out. With equal apprehension for different reasons, Alan allowed himself to be directed onto a stool next to the Potter boy and Adrian took a seat by the door a bit closer to Potter than he would have liked.

To Madam Malkin's obvious relief, the Potter boy turned his attention to Alan instead. "Hi! I'm James! Are you going to Hogwarts too? Can you believe they won't let first years have brooms? I think I'll have to smuggle mine in. I've been flying for years, you know, and that rule is silly. I want to join the quiddich team immediately. My father and grandfather were both seekers and if dad could join the team as a first year then so can I, don't you think?"

"I think that's an awfully small thing about which to get worked up. Besides, I imagine you'll get better marks without the distraction." Alan pointed out. Adrian smiled inwardly. That was his son alright!

"Well, I suppose, if you're interested in that. I suppose your parents must be friends with all the teachers then. I've met one of them." James informed him proudly.

"I haven't met any." Alan said, a little stiffly. "I didn't know about magic until yesterday morning."

"Oh, so you're muggleborn then. Who brought you here? Muggles can't get in here you know." James was starting to sound an awful lot like someone else. Adrian glanced over at Harry to see if he'd noticed it too, but Harry continued to beam proudly at his son.

"My Dad brought me. He's a wizard but he doesn't like to do magic and didn't tell us children that he could until my letter showed up."

"Oh well that's lame. Living like muggles is horrid, I've heard, They're not _like_ us." Adrian glanced over again. Harry still hadn't noticed. In fact, the proud beam looked as if it had been fixed in place to cover up an exhausted blank stare.

As he had stood still throughout his fitting, Alan finished up before James. "Thank you ma'am. Dad, may I go look at their nightclothes? Mine are becoming small on me."

"Certainly. They'll cost less and fit better here than the muggle shops."

Potter was staring at him incredulously, and until he spoke, Adrian was seized by a fear that he might have guessed his identity. "How…How do you DO that? How do you get him to be so _polite_?"

"Oh it's easy. I taught my children manners from the start, and I enforced them. Rules have to be enforced with children if they're to learn them." Adrian couldn't resist the jab at his former identity's former student's parenting skills and lack of discipline, but he kept his tone light and conversational. "Impressionable young minds need a measure of consistency."

* * *

"I don't think I liked that boy." Alan commented as the two of them browsed potion ingredients. "He seemed awfully full of hot air."

"Believe me," Adrian told his son, "It runs in the family. But don't tell anybody I said that. I'd prefer his father not remember that he's met me before."

Alan wrinkled his nose. "I see no reason to speak to him again, so there is no reason for me to say so."

Adrian ruffled his hair. "Don't worry about it, squirt. Chances are he'll continue his family's tradition of being in Gryffindor, and you'll either continue our family's Slytherin tradition or end up in Ravenclaw. You don't have to interact with people from other houses very much if you don't want to."

"What are those?"

"When you get to Hogwarts, you'll be sorted into one of four houses. Your house is the people with whom you'll eat, sleep, and attend classes for the entirety of your time at Hogwarts. Each house has a set of characteristics associated with it. Slytherin, which both my mother and I were in, is known for ambition, cunning, and wit. Kind of a play smarter not harder mindset. Gryffindor is traditionally our rival. They're known for bravery and hot-headedness, so they are prone to rushing into things and trying to defend anyone they think is a "good guy". Ravenclaw is known for intelligence. They'd rather be studying than most anything else. Hufflepuff values hard work and loyalty over personal gain."

"You're right, I can't see James and I being in the same house."

* * *

 _While I do like Harry and don't think he'd purposefully let his children be little shits, I imagine his fame being overwhelming. He's young and probably being promoted professionally faster than he should be for political reasons, so he's (as usual) got more responsibility than he's really ready for except that now he's trying to juggle that with a family. Kids are impressionable, his are growing up with their dad the savior of the world and their mom a professional athlete, and he (and Ginny if she's still playing professional quidditch) are scrambling to balance two careers plus three children plus fame and maybe not doing enough to counteract the influence that seeing the way people treat them has on the kids._


	5. Chapter 5

On the train, Alan found himself purely by chance in a compartment with a pale blond boy who was hiding behind what looked like a photo album. That was fine by him, and he pulled out one of his new textbooks that he had not yet read. He was looking forward to Transfiguration just as much as his other classes, but he simply hadn't gotten to that book yet.

All was peaceful for an hour or two, then the compartment door slammed open and James burst in with several other boys in tow. "Oi, anyone up for a prank on the prefects? Hey! I know you! Who's your friend?" He looked the boy up and down, a scowl forming on his face. "Oh ew, he looks like a Malfoy. You can do so much better than those people. Come hang with me and I'll introduce you to the cool kids."

Alan rolled his eyes. "I'm capable of picking my friends for myself, and no I would not care to join you in making a nuisance of yourself to people you've never even met."

James looked shocked. "I'm just helping you out. Seriously, stay away from the Malfoys and their crowd, their evil bastard-ness might rub off on you if it hasn't already." He paused a moment to see if Alan would emerge from his book again, then swaggered off with his friends. Alan had almost gotten his attention back on the book when he heard a sniffle from the other boy.

"Hey, don't worry about him. He's a jerk is all."

"I hate how we're judged by our parents." He swiped at his eyes with his sleeve. "So his father is hailed as our savior while my family was on the wrong side of the war. None of us were alive then. So what. It doesn't make him a hero or me evil. He doesn't even know who I am, he just assumes because I look like my father and grandfather."

"But how are you sure who he is? Aren't you assuming too?"

"Paparazzi like to follow his family, and besides I've seen him and his father together before." He hesitated. "Granted, they follow my family too, but not as much and our estate is big enough we don't need to leave it very often."

"Estate?" Alan asked incredulously.

The other boy gave him a funny look. "Are you Muggle-born or something? I mean no offense, but everyone knows of my family."

"Half-blood, but my dad doesn't use magic much anymore. He left the wizarding world after the war and didn't tell us kids about magic until I got my letter."

"I don't blame him. Okay, well then. I'm a Malfoy. We're the richest family in the wizarding world, kinda the last remnants of the aristocracy and still pretty powerful. That tosser is a Potter. His father defeated the Dark Lord, who was trying to take over. The Dark Lord was a pretty evil guy, but my family served him because my great-grandfather got in with his lot when he was first getting powerful, and that buggered his descendants into doing so as well, because if you served him then your children kind of had no choice about serving him too. So Potter thinks he's above me because my family was on the losing side and he's the son of a hero."

Alan made a face. "What a tosser. I really hope he's not in the same house as either of us."

The other boy shuddered. "I don't imagine he'll consider anything but Gryffindor up to his standards, so I imagine I'll be safe. There's no way I'd end up there."

"Me neither. Dad's descriptions made it sound like someplace I wouldn't terribly like. Of course, he was in Slytherin..."

"As were my parents. I'm sure they'd be thrilled if I were too. But yes, that would lead to a bit of a bias."

"Anything from the trolley, dears?" The refreshment witch interrupted. Both boys dived for their moneybags.

* * *

"Malfoy, Scorpius." Alan gave his new friend a nudge in the direction of the Sorting Hat. He looked as green as the Slytherin banners above the leftmost table. Alan hoped for the sake of getting a positive start that he didn't actually throw up.

The hat took a long time to decide, but it finally shouted "SLYTHERIN!" and Scorpius staggered gratefully to his seat.

"Potter, James." James didn't seem to have any nerves whatsoever. He swaggered up and eagerly jammed the hat on his head.

"GRYFFINDOR!" He smirked and tossed the hat off carelessly.

"Prince, Alan." Alan took a deep breath and tried to relax as the headmistress set the hat on his head.

"Hmm," The hat informed him, "You are a difficult one. You would do well most anywhere. An excellent mind and uncommon love of learning, but also an intense drive to do something with it. You are certainly not confrontational, but your sense of reasoning and aptitude for the subtle make you still a formidable contender."

"Better than being a hotheaded fool who rushes in without understanding what he faces." He informed it.

The hat chuckled. "You sound like your father. Yes, you would find the Ravenclaws a little passive for your tastes. I think you will find friends to complement your personality in SLYTHERIN!" Alan handed the hat back to the headmistress and hurried to join Scorpius.

* * *

 _I know I disappeared for a bit. My only excuse is I'm an adult with a full time job who is also trying to do charity work and apply to go back to school. I'm trying!_


End file.
